UTEP head coach Dana Dimel reviews Saturday's loss to the Aggies of NMSU 27-20 and gives analysis on this weeks opponent the UTSA Roadrunners.
El Paso Times

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UTEP head coach Dana Dimel discusses his team's 27-20 loss to NMSU on Sept. 22 in the Battle of I-10. The Miners next traveled to San Antonio for their game Saturday against the UTSA Roadrunners.(Photo11: RUBEN R. RAMIREZ/EL PASO TIMES)Buy Photo

Dana Dimel’s trademark in his short tenure as UTEP football coach has been his positivity.

As the Miners get ready to open Conference USA play this week at UTSA, that positivity seemed a little less forced at Dimel’s weekly press conference. After a 27-20 loss to New Mexico State, the strides UTEP has made seem a little more tangible.

“It’s getting things fixed. We should have won a ballgame but we didn’t,” Dimel said. “It hurts knowing you should have won, but the improvement is monumental from Game 1 to now. We’re going to keep working to improve. ... We’re going to keep driving to improve. We’re starting to play at a level we can win these games, now let’s do that.”

That will involve fixing some of the big mistakes UTEP made against NMSU.

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UTEP head coach Dana Dimel discusses his teams loss against NMSU Saturday night 27-20 in the Battle of I-10. The Miners will now travel to San Antonio for their game Saturday afternoon against the Roadrunners of UTSA.(Photo11: RUBEN R. RAMIREZ/EL PASO TIMES, )

Mistakes

On the blocked punt on the game’s fourth play, Dimel pointed out that UTEP had a procedure penalty that immediately preceded it on fourth and 1 when NMSU wasn’t rushing. They did have a two-man rush on fourth and 6 and the Miners didn’t pick it up.

On another big UTEP miscue — Kai Locksley’s fumble that was returned for a touchdown — Dimel said Locksley may well have been down but the officials let it go on the assumption it could be reversed. As it turns out, there wasn’t a good enough replay angle to overturn the call on the field.

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UTEP wide receiver Warren Redix, 10, can’t reach a long throw that was just off the mark Saturday against NMSU.. (Photo11: Rudy Gutierrez/El Paso Times)

On the final NMSU touchdown on a 53-yard pass, the ball was underthrown, tempting cornerback Justin Rogers to try for an interception and he ended up getting caught in between going for a tackle and trying for the pick.

Those are all problems Dimel feels the Miners can clean up.

What he likes is the trajectory of his team, and also that of Locksley.

“He played with a fast twitch. When he got in space his athleticism was showing up,” Dimel said. “He rushed for more than 100 yards (not counting sack yardage), he made a couple of nice throws. When you have two guys over 100 yards (Quardraiz Wadley had 111 yards) you’re hitting people with different angles of attack. (Locksley) played at a much higher level, now he’s got to eliminate mistakes you have with a first-year quarterback, but the plays he made were really special.

Pass blocking

Now UTEP has to protect him better, as the patchwork offensive line has come together more quickly in the run game than the passing game. Dimel said lack of protection made him reluctant to try more deep shots.

Tackle Jerrod Brooks will have surgery later this week and is out at least a few weeks, and probably the season. He will get a redshirt if he is out for the rest of the season. Josiah Gray has been moved from the left side to Brooks' right-side spot.

The offense will be challenged this week, as UTSA is built around its defense. The Roadrunners are off to a 1-3 start, but the three losses were all to power-conference opponents (Arizona State, Baylor and Kansas State) and they are coming off a win against Texas State.

“They have a good defense, they have good defensive numbers,” Dimel said. “They are similar to New Mexico State in that they are trying to win on defense. The have a lot of returners back from a defense that was one of the best in conference last year.

“Their offense, they have a first-time starting quarterback, they are trying to find an offensive identity. They are a team that relies on defense and fundamentally good, sound schemes with the offensive coordinator.”

UTEP is also becoming a team that is relying on defense as it tries to rev up its offense, and the Miners will take another shot at making that progress Saturday in San Antonio.

Bret Bloomquist may be reached at 546-6359; bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @bretbloomquist on Twitter.

NMSU defensive back Austin Perkins, 19, comes down with an interception with less than a minute left in the game to end UTEP’s efforts to even the score Saturday night in the Sun Bowl Stadium. The Aggies prevailed in the I-10 Rivalry 27-20. Rudy Gutierrez

Marisol Lucero, bottom, sister Linda Martinez, right, and other family members hold placards in support of their brother, UTEP tight end David Lucero, No. 18, on Sept. 22 in Sun Bowl Stadium. Rudy Gutierrez/El Paso Times

NMSU defensive back Austin Perkins intercepts a throw intended for wide receiver Terry Juniel, 2, to end UTEP’s efforts to even the score with less than a minute left in the game Saturday. The Aggies beat the Miners in the I-10 Rivalry 27-20. Rudy Gutierrez

NMSU defensive back Austin Perkins, 19, comes up with an interception with less than a minute remaining in the game, dashing UTEP’s hopes of evening the score. The Aggies won the I-10 Rivaly 27-20. Rudy Gutierrez